The Beast at the Door
by Althea Blue
In this steampunk fairy tale, Patience is no proper young lady. Faced with the prospect of marriage, she runs away from home, from wealth, and a looming life of lies. She finds a garden guarded by a fantastic beast. The beast also guards a young girl like herself, alone in the world. Ada is wise and beautiful. Their burgeoning friendship is threatened by outside forces. Only a clockwork menagerie of monsters can save them from an unfriendly world.